As the date of June 12 for the much-anticipated summit meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un nears, hectic activities are going on. Singapore’s Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan made a whirlwind tour of the US and met the top officials of the country, including US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton during a working trip to Washington.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo greets Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore Dr Vivian Balakrishnan at the US Department of State. Photo courtesy: US Department of State

“Minister Balakrishnan welcomed the upcoming visit of President Trump and Chairman Kim to Singapore and expressed the hope that the upcoming Summit would contribute towards lasting peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula,” said a release issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Singapore about his meeting with top US officials.

Pompeo and Bolton expressed appreciation for Singapore's hosting of the summit, set to be held on June 12 at the Capella Hotel in Sentosa.

“Both the sides reaffirmed the excellent and longstanding ties between Singapore and the US across the defence, economic and security spheres,” said MFA.

“Secretary Pompeo and NSA Bolton expressed support for Singapore’s Chairmanship of ASEAN this year and discussed ways in which the United States could deepen its enduring strategic and economic interests in the Asia-Pacific and strengthen its multi-faceted engagement of the region,” it added.

Meanwhile, in a Facebook post today, Dr Balakrishnan wrote, “This is an expression of both sides' trust and confidence in Singapore's ability to be a trusted, secure, and neutral host, and we are happy to play our part for world peace.”